VR settings while shooting on beanbag?

Hi everyone,

I have a Nikkor 500mm VR and spend considerable time shooting it with a both a 1.4X and 1.7X converter on both D300 and D700 bodies.

I've been battling low light here in Newfoundland as this time of the year it gets very grey weather here for 3 months. being further north the sun is also very low in the sky here.

I've been shooting at fairly high ISO with shutterspeeds down in the 1/40th to 1/120th range. I've discovered through some trial and error that I get the best results with VR turned off! Still seeing shake through my viewfinder i was using VR on both normal and also tried tripod a few times, but both with similarly poor results.

Can you share you experience with me? i'm curious if others aren't using VR while using beanbags for support.

Thanks in advance.

Scott

While I fad the 600 or 500 VR, I turned it to tripod and when handholding, to regular. It is interesting, older lenses recommended shutting the VR or IS off while on a tripod. Maybe there was something there after all :)

Fabs, shooting yesterday at ISO 800 at shutter speeds of 1/80th to 1/125th i was getting incredibly better results with VR turned off as compared to having it on at any setting.

With my 600 II VR, I always turn VR off at any shutter speed 1/1000 or faster, whether on a tripod, monopod, beanbag, or even hand-held.
I started this technique soon after getting the lens, presuming that the VR motor itself induces some vibration of its own.
Does anyone know a source for any lab or disciplined testing to prove or disprove this thesis ?

Bill, from seeing your images, it seems your theory is working, and that's as scientific as I can get :D Seriously, I have heard the debate for quite some time and wish there was some concrete evidence. I have often gotten better results on a beanbag with IS turned off. I have the older Canon 100-400 which recommends turning IS off on a tripod. The remarks on the motor itself creating a vibration seem logical to me.

Why, thank-you, Dave ! :)

A further factor in my turning it off a lot: with my previous 600 - the last version before VR - images were razor-sharp.

Who needs VR ? :D

It seems to me when on a tripod or bean bag if I have it off my images are sharper. I have been back and forth on this issue many times and now I just leave it off.

Best,
Howard